Baddesley Clinton

 B wanted a lift to and from a pub recently to meet ex work colleagues for lunch so, rather than go all the way back home, D and I paid Baddesley Clinton a visit.  I must admit I haven't visited Baddesley or Packwood much in recent years partly because of covid and lockdowns but also because we spend so much time in Herefordshire. Anyway it was good to return and there had been changes - the new vegetable plot is being extended and they have built a much improved toilet block!

Pokemon figure on a car in the car park.

The name Baddesley derives from Saxon times when a man called Baeddi, Badde or Bade made a clearing in the wood to graze cattle. This would have had a ditch and wooden pallisade to protect against predators. The clearing was called a "leah" or "ley" hence the name "Badde's Ley".

The first de Clinton to live at Baddesley was a James de Clinton in the early C14th who probably had the moat dug and put up the first buildings. Just part of these building survive in one of the walls of the existing manor house.

The estate had several owners in the C15th until it was purchased by a wealthy lawyer John Brome who eventually became the Under-Treasurer of the Exchequer.  I've mentioned the Bromes before - one of them  killed a priest for flirting with his wife and built a tower at the nearby church in penance.

In 1517 Baddesley Clinton estate came into the possession of the Ferrers family who owned it for nearly 500 years.  The Ferrers were a Catholic family in the time of religious uphheaval and Nicholas Owen the renowned designer of priest holes created hiding places at Baddesley for up to 12 priests.  

Baddesley Clinton was taken over by the National Trust in 1980.

We walked round the lake first - so lovely at this time of year with cow parsley in flower.

No ducklings but I did see some young Moorhen preening themselves.

We walked back through the meadow area.

The scaffolding is to remove the glass for conservation work.

We had a quick look at the bookshop now housed in the old stables but didn't buy any books.

The Vault Ledger used to be in the nearby church on the floor of the chancel but was removed to conserve it.The Ledger covered the Ferrers family vault. Twelve generations of Ferrers are buried there from Sir Edward Ferrers who died in 1535 and the first member of the family to live at Baddesley Clinton to Edward Ferrers who died in 1830 who was the father of Marmion. Edward was the last direct descendent of the family to hold Baddesley Clinton.

Time for lunch - sadly they had sold out of sandwiches and to be honest the toasted sandwiches, soup and jacket potatoes were quite expensive so we had cake! Sadly the Victoria sandwich - the last slice - was a bit dry but the lemon poppy seed cake was nice.

We had a look round the courtyard of the house - the wisteria was lovely. Sadly, didn't have time to go in the house which was  a bit of a pain as, although I am a member, D had to pay and £14 is a bit steep when you only want to look round the gardens. You can't buy a garden only ticket any more :(

Finally, a look round the walled garden and vegetable plot.

I resisted the temptation of buying anything from the shop but D bought a lupin plant hopefully the same variety as the one pictured above.

No time either for the church or chuchyard as B had rung for a lift!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one I would be grateful for an email first - thanks)

Reference. National Trust website The History of Baddesley Clinton